New system determines Tottenham’s most influential player – it’s not Kane or Alli

To do so, America’s “plus-minus ratings” system has utilised, which is often used in ice hockey and basketball in the USA.

The BBC say: “In those sports it tells you the points advantage/disadvantage a side experience when a particular player is on the pitch.”

They add: “In football it follows the same premise as in the American sports – but in this new model… it has been adapted to factor in things such as home advantage, the impact of red cards, strength of team-mates, opposing players and any substitutions that have been made.

“It is also based on expected goals, rather than actual goals, as this is considered a more accurate reflection of a team’s performance. So, this way, a defender’s ranking isn’t negatively affected by an attacking team-mate missing an open goal.”

So, according to the system, who was Tottenham’s most influential player in 2016/17?

The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is Jan Vertonghen.

The defender scores 2.35 on the system’s scale. That number is bettered by only four players: David Silva (3.09), Sergio Aguero (2.8), Petr Cech (2.52) and Raheem Sterling (2.49).

Second to Vertonghen for Spurs is Eric Dier (1.72), and just behind him is Dele Alli (1.62).